There’s something to be said for a good old-fashioned to-do list on a piece of paper.

When your to-do list is digital, it gets covered up by everything else you have on your phone or computer — at least in our experience.

But a physical to-do list can’t be ignored. It’s sitting there, right in front of you. You can’t shut it down or get distracted with YouTube videos of kittens (well, maybe).

And while you can delete complete items on a Google Doc, you don’t get the tactile enjoyment of making a big X or crossing out a finished task.

There are great apps for boosting productivity — Clear Focus being an Autumn favorite — but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the old ways of doing things. If you find yourself passing the days without getting things done, try making a to-do list. It’s the easiest way to start tackling new projects and keep yourself reminded of what’s at stake.

If you hired a social media manager who added hundreds of followers to your Twitter page, you might think you found a good deal. 

But if those followers aren’t interested in the games you make, you’ve only wasted your time and money. You may have even damaged your brand.

The same is true of apparently successful posts. Getting a big response doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get any more downloads. 

That’s why it’s incredibly important that your social media manager has a strong background in marketing. It’s not enough to get attention: you have to get the right kind of attention, from people who are likely to use your software. You want to be sure that your posts are helping to create the right image around your app.

Poor social media management can burden you with crowds of followers that will only hinder your growth as a developer. 

Of course, we offer social media management, but you don’t have to go with us. Any professional marketing firm is likely to deliver reasonable results. But it’s important that you find the right people to manage your social media, even if it isn’t us.

We’re changing our prices this September, and on the surface, it’s a price increase.

But the reality is that these changes will actually improve our services and give app developers more value. Here’s how.

Currently, we offer budget packages – set amounts of money with variable services. In other words, you give us a budget, and we’ll give you some options.

Starting in September, we’re moving to service packages – set bundles with fixed prices. For example, for less than $500, we’ll give you:

• ASO game description
• Unique social media marketing strategy
• 20 social media posts
• 1 guaranteed blog post
• 1 press release with mailing services included
• Monthly updates on our progress 
• Analytic reports on growth and change

Why is this better?

Using this system, we’ll be able to bundle services in the most cost-effective way possible. As you can see by the example above, we are providing a huge value to indie developers.

Plus, by making our workflow more predictable, we will also keep our staff more informed and ready-to-go, speeding up the process for everyone.

What if my needs don’t fit your packages?

No problem. We will continue to offer all of our services individually, so if all you need is social media management, we’ll provide just that,

Or, if you like the package in the example above, but you don’t want a press release, we can exchange it for social media posts, with no additional charge for choosing your own plan.

We’re excited to make these changes, and we know you’ll enjoy the benefits. With increased value for all our clients, Autumn App Marketing will continue to be the single best provider of independent software marketing.

Lately our Twitter inbox has been getting filled with automated messages from JustUnfollow and Unfollowers.

The irony of it is that few things cause people to want to “unfollow” someone more than an automated message, soulless and branded with a company web address.

This is especially important for indie developers, because social media can be a big help when you’re trying to get more people to play your games. But sending out automated messages only takes the life out of you as a living, breathing indie developer, turning you into someone corporate and boring.

Social media can either bring you success or ruin you as a developer. It’s a critical part of your marketing strategy, and it’s not something that a robot can do.

More importantly, those automated messages clearly show a disregard for the person reading them. It doesn’t make sense to send a marketing firm a message that says “Hey if you like to play games you should check mine out.” 

To sum up, using automated messages:

• Ruins great networking opportunities.
• Shows that you don’t care about the reader.
• Scares away people who would have liked your game.
• Is annoying.

If you want to do more with your social media marketing, check out our free guide. And remember: be a human, not a zombie (or a robot, for that matter).

It’s hard to make a popular game. With thousands of new apps and games being made every day, there’s a ton of competition.

Knowing how to make a hit game doesn’t end with the development. Plenty of amazing games are made every day without a single bit of attention (which is why we started Autumn App Marketing in the first place).

But it’s important to start with the right qualities, so here’s how to make a hit game.

1. Start with the mechanics.

Making an indie game with the right mechanics is essential. But don’t think you have to make them complicated.

Great indie games are known for a unique gameplay because unlike large game corporations, indie developers are willing to take risks on exciting new ideas.

You don’t have to revolutionize the gaming industry, but your game should have something about it that separates it from everything else out there.

2. Give it a special environment.

One of the benefits of playing games is the joy of escapism.

By giving your game a unique look and feel, you let players experience a world that belongs only to your game.

The environment encompasses more than the graphics. The sounds, animations, and mechanics all contribute. The way your game comes across on social media is another important facet.

To learn about showing your game in the right light on social media, you can check out free guide.

3. Ignore everyone else.

There are enough Flappy Bird clones.

You can’t stand out if you’re trying to emulate someone else. Part of making an indie game is creating something that ignores trends.

4. Be fearless. 

In order to do all of these things correctly, you need to be fearless. You have to have faith in your own game. You are a unique developer, and you have the power to make a great, unique game.

Have fun!

As an independent developer, you have to do a lot of things on your own. But there are also plenty of opportunities to get help from others, and you shouldn’t be too proud to do it.

Once you accept the indie label, you may feel inclined to do everything for yourself. But if you’re not a great musician, why limit your own game with music that you hammered out over a few hours?

But there’s more to it than limiting your game with skills you’ve only somewhat refined.

The truth is, you’re wasting your time.

As an expert developer, every hour you spend on developing is driving you forward, bringing you closer to your goal, and being used to create something meaningful.

But every hour you spend doing things outside of that unique skillset is wasted. You are missing out on precious time that could’ve been used to make your game even better.

This is why we have trading.

People trade things, either money, products, or services, because even though it’s possible for us to do everything for ourselves, it would be hugely ineffective.

If you want your games to be the best they can be, you need to be the best developer you can be, and that means being a developer as often as possible.